The Destroyer
by BenFiremonk
Summary: Ben Bellemont aka Shiva. The man who started a one man war against every criminal in Aincrad and ended the Reaper. This is his story.
1. Prologue

_**The Duel**_

* * *

 _December 4th,2022._

 _Illfang the Kobold Lord, the first floor boss, has just been defeated, opening access to the second floor of the floating castle of Aincrad. This story begins on the second floor, with our protagonist escorting two players at sword point._

"Keep walking." I said poking one of the guys in the back with my sword.

"Ok, relax man. We're doing what you're askin'."

"So start talking. Why did you go after the Rat?"

"She had information on quest. A quest for an _Extra Skill_."

Just then, one of the men elbowed me and teleported away. However, I managed to grabbed the other one before he could escape.

"Your friend really shouldn't have done that. Now I'm gonna have to start beating you to get what I want."

"Hang on, man. What do you want to know?"

"Where's your guild leader?"

"Um, I think... a village, here on the second floor. Our leader found it in the Beta and went to see if it was still there."

"Good. You're going to to take there."

As we walked, I got a message from a friend.

 **"** _Ben! Where are you!_ **"**

 **"** _Amelia! Use my contact info!_ **"**

 _'Good lord, that girl.'_

"I'm impressed kid. So I'll tell you what, if you can beat me one v. one. The guild is yours."

"Deal."

We went into the center of the village and the guild members made a circle around us.

"How do you want to do this, kid?" Said the leader.

"Your guild, your choice."

"Ok then. One hit duel. First person to have their HP lowered half way loses."

I accepted the duel request, and the start timer began to count down. The guild leader drew his weapon and I placed my hand on my sword.

 _3 2 1_

I drew my sword and we charged in at each other. I hit him once, bit he got a few good hits in, causing me to put some distance between us.

 _'He's fast. I'm gonna need to be careful, I'm a probably two or three more hits away.'_

I took another look at him. Average build, maybe mid to late twenties. I had an idea and charged in. He swung and I slid under his blade, cutting his leg and causing him to kneel down, then placed my hand on his back to vault over him and slammed my knee into his face. I cut off his sword hand and placed the blades against his throat like a scissor.

"Yield."

He smirked as he resigned and I sheathed my sword and handed him his.

"You are full of surprises." He said. "The guild is yours."

I went to go shake his hand and pull him up, then I remembered that I had cut off hand, so I grabbed his arm and helped him. I had I feeling my life was in danger, so I turned around to face it head on

"What's the word pretty bi-"

A hand flew across my face. I've been slapped in the face before, but it still stops me in my tracks every time.

"What the hell were you think? Running off like that?" Said the voice.

My assailant was none other than Robin, or Amelia in the real world. Ameila's my... well, I don't really know what she is to me. Friend? Girlfriend?

"Was the slap really necessary?"

"It's necessary when you're being an idiot, which you are."

Behind Amelia was my friend, War Jackson or Jax, and Amelia's sister Eir or, in the real world, Sarah. These three are my friends in the real world, I've known Jax since childhood and we met the girls about three years ago.

"Can you guys give us a minute?" I said to the players around us.

They left, leaving just the four of us.

"So I see you guys found me."

"Yeah, looks like it. What is this place?" Jax said.

"Our new home."

"What?" Sarah said.

"I just won it from the guy with one hand. I think his name was Achilles."

"How you win it?" Amelia asked.

"In a duel. I also won the guild."

"I thought you hated working in guilds?"

"I do. But I'm pretty sure there's only so much a solo player can do in SAO."

"What are we gonna call this guild?"

"Same thing as the village."

"Which is?"

"Sinanju."

* * *

 ** _Scorched Earth_**

* * *

 _On the 20th floor, in a village called Sinanju. It was usually serene and peaceful, but on this April morning all that could be heard was the sound of a lovers quarrel._

* * *

"Robin... Amelia!"

Robin swung the door open and stormed out.

"You are impossible!" She yelled.

I picked up the necklace, I made for her, off the floor and sat in my chair and massaged my head. And then my friend Jax walked in.

"You guys keep fighting like that and people are going to think you two really are a married couple." He said.

"Piss. Off."

"What were you two arguing about?"

"My working habits."

"Again? She does have a point. You need to take a break every once in a while."

"Leading a guild is hard work, Jax. And you know that my habit has existed for years."

"Just be selfish for once. That's all she's was asking of you."

"Maybe you're right." I sighed.

"Of course I'm right. Come on, let's go relieve some stress."

We walked out of my room and out of the village. Everyone was looking at me, probably since everyone could hear us fighting.

"Where are we going? Dungeon? Bar?"

"Hunting."

"What are we hunting?"

"Anything. Deer, bear, dragon."

"Can we even eat dragon?"

"Oh, it's delicious. If cooked right."

We saw a group of deer in front of us, and hid behind some trees.

"How do you want to do this? Scare into an ambush?"

"Sure, that always fun."

I equipped my bow and climbed the tree as Jax equipped his two handed sword. After nodding to each other, I notched three arrows and fired one into a tree on both sides of the deer and one behind them. The deers looked up and ran in the opposite direction of the sounds, right into Jax. Jax activated _Cyclone_ and slashed some of the deer.

"Nice work, Jax." I said as I hopped down.

"What's next?"

"Probably hunt for a few more minutes... Why don't we split up, meet back here in ten - fifteen minutes?"

"Sure."

We split up and I went in the direction of a cave. Inside was a bear.

 _'Everyone in Sinanju had no problem eating whatever we bring back. But Frederick hates bear meat, so let's piss him off, shall we.'_

I equipped my sword and charged in. The bear clawed at me and I responded by vaulting over it and attacking it's back. The bear managed to scratch me across the chest, and I jumped back to evaluate the situation. The bear charged towards me and I rolled out of the way and stabbed it in the ribs. Then I activated _Vertical Square_ and killed it. After I gathered the materials, walked out of the cave and check the time.

 _'I've still got some time left.'_

I climbed up the branches of a tree jumped from tree to tree, until I came across a player harassing another.

"Bastard."

I jumped out of the tree and kicked him in the head. Then I got up and told the harassed player to run, before turning around, and picking the harasser off the ground.

"Note that I should kill you, hell I _want_ to kill you. But I'm not going to." I pushed on the ground. "Remember that, and remember that I could have easily killed you."

The little weasel scurried off. After hunting for another minute, I decided to head back. Jax was waiting for me at the meeting spot.

"So what you'd catch?" I said.

"A few more deer and some rabbits. You?"

"I think maybe five deer and a bear."

"Only six? You're getting rusty in your old age."

"One of them was a bear. And I also had to deal with someone harassing a player."

"Ok, ok, I guess I'll have to take your word for it... What next?"

"Let's see, rabbits usually feeds up to four players, deers up to six, and bears easily feed ten. So we'll keep two rabbits, a deer and the bear, and give the rest of the meat to Achilles. Then we could probably sell everything else."

"Sounds good to me. Let's head back home."

We walked down the path for a few minutes, when we saw something alarming.

"Ben... Smoke."

I looked up and saw a huge cloud of smoke.

"It looks like it's coming from Sinanju."

Jax and I sprinted back to the village. When we got there, the village was indeed on fire. And holding someone by the throat and stabbing them in the chest was the man who I assume lit the fire. I charged into attack the man in front of me. Just then two guys with axes swung at me before I could react and cut off my legs. The man walked up to me kicked me in the head, knocking me out. When I woke up, the village was burnt down, the man was in front of me, holding Amelia. And next to them, were two other people standing behind Eir and Jax, who were on their knees. And all around me survivors of the massacre were on their knees.

"No. Please don't." I pleaded.

I heard the sound three blades piercing flesh, as Amelia, Sarah and Jax were stabbed in the heart from behind. Then the sound of several other blades piercing virtual flesh could be heard. All in what felt like eternity.

"Nooooo!" I yelled as the only three friends I ever had, exploded into pixels right in front of me. Then everything turned red.

"The sadness and rage. Its glowing in your eyes." He said with a smile.

"What's your name?" I said gritting my teeth.

"du Casse. But why do you care?"

"So I can find you. And rip your heart out!"

"Oh, I'd love to see you try. But... you'll be dead soon."

"No, I wouldn't."

I whistled and Stealth attacked one of the players holding me down. I overpowered the other one and teleported with Stealth.

 _A few hours later_

I returned to Sinanju and made graves for everyone who died. After I made Amelia's grave, I fell to my knees and fought back the tears in my eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Amelia. I'm so sorry."

I placed her necklace in front of the tombstone.

"I'll find du Casse. And I'll get revenge."

I walked into my private quarters and gathered some equipment. On the floor was Amelia's dagger that I made for her, The Talon. du Casse must have surprised her and she dropped the dagger. I picked it up and put it in my inventory and walked out. I grabbed some paint and walked down to the big rock next to the path, and painted an omega symbol. I'm going to war against du Casse.


	2. Eye for an eye

I sat in a little diner near the frontlines, sipping my coffee and reading the letter I received.

 _ **"** If your reading this Shiva, then I'm dead. I wanted to leave you something as a thank you for everything you've done for me. I leave you the restaurant. You can run it or sell it and use the money to buy whatever you want, it's up to you. **"**_

"Damn it, Achilies."

I put the letter down and took another sip of coffee.

"Mind if I sit here?"

I looked up and saw a boy around the same age as me.

"Sure."

The boy sat down in the chair across from me.

"You wouldn't happen to be Shiva, would you? Leader of the Sinanju Assassins?"

"...You've got thirty seconds before I gut you." I said placing my hand on the hilt of my sword.

"My name is Jason Crow. And I need your help."

"With what?"

"Well, it's better to show you."

Jason placed his hand on the side of my face and I saw pictures flashing in front of me. I saw death and destruction and a Coffin with a arms and a smile on flags.

"What the hell was that?" I said panting and gripping my sword after Jason removed his hand.

"That was the future of Aincrad. And what I need your help with."

"What good am I. I can't even save my own guild."

"What if I told you, you could talk to your "pretty bird" again? And that you could stop what happened to you, from happening to others."

"Don't say that name. Robin is dead, and there's no changing that." I said white knuckling my sword handle.

"Help me stop the apocalypse and I'll let you talk to Robin again."

"How do I know you're telling the truth."

"When you crafted your wedding rings, you were drunk from celebrating the defeat of a floor boss. You were completely hammered and it was your best work yet. And then you woke up to Robin looking at you with a horror in her eyes."

"What were the engravings on her ring?"

"Elvish; it says _Mime Prettime ince_. It means, My Pretty Bird."

"...Whose the target?"

"A player who will go by the alias, Aincrad Reaper."

"Will?"

"I just showed you the future. So, yes, this player _will_ call himself, The Aincrad Reaper."

"Fair enough. But why can't you go after him?"

"For some reason, I can't see him. And also I don't know what he looks like."

"You're sending me to find someone... and you don't know what they look like?"

"Bear with me. He has black hair, wears a black trench coat. Sword on his back."

"Damn, I think I know who it is."

"Who?"

"A kid by the name of Kirito."

"Do you know where to find him?"

"Not a clue. But I may know someone who does."

"Before you go, I want to give you something."

He placed his hand on my face again.

"Stop doing that."

"This avatar was originally a hunter, right? Well I just gave some abilities of a hunter. Eagle eyes, slightly enhanced senses, even the ability to summon a large cat." Crow went into his inventory and pulled out a ring and a chain. "The chains for closing gaps without sacrificing close quarters combat."

"And the ring?"

"The Deceiver. It creates a clone of yourself. Upgrade it and you can control that clone."

"Thanks, I guess." I said taking the chain and ring.

I paid for my coffee, got up, and looked at Crow.

"You better keep your promise. Or I will kill you. Understand?"

"A word once given I never break."

I pushed open the door and walked out.

"Shiva, wait!" Crow said following me out. "I forgot to tell you. If you see a man begging for help. Help him."

"What?"

"Trust me. You can thank me later."

"Thanks?"

As I walked down the street I decide to wrap the chain around my wrist and slipped on the ring. I pulled the sleeve of my coat down over the chain as I walked to the teleportation gate.

"Teleport Giltstein!"

I walked into The Blood Oath's HQ, and into the Vice Commander's office. She wasn't home so I decided to let myself in. I sat down in a chair and looked at the ring. Leukonite and obsidian dragonstone and elven craftsmanship, and with my knowledge of video games, I can probably upgrade this with one of those materials. I clenched my fist and the ring started to glow, but before I could try to clone myself, the door opened.

"Uh, excuse me. You can't be in here." Said a familiar voice.

"I think you can make time for me." I said getting up and looking at Asuna and her friend.

"Shiva? What do you want?" In her annoyed and angered voice.

"Who's Shiva?" Asked her friend.

"Where are my manners? I'm Doctor Bellamont, but people just call me Shiva." I said kissing the back of her hand.

"You're a doctor?" She asked.

"Is it really so hard for people to believe that I'm a genius."

"He's not really a doctor, Liz, he's just screwing with you."

"So Asuna, I was wondering if you've heard from Kirito at all. I need to talk to him."

"I don't know who you think you are, but you can't just walk in here and demand her to-" Liz said.

"I think he might know where to find Robin's killer."

"Oh shit." Said Asuna.

"Who's Robin."

"My wife, who was murdered."

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry. I... I didn't-"

"It's fine, Liz. You couldn't have known."

"I haven't seen Kirito in months. Do you really think he knows who they are?"

"Kirito's a loner and usually knows about criminal players. I'll ask Klein, maybe he'll know."

As I was walking out, Asuna stopped me.

"Just so you know. Klein should be on the frontlines right now.

"Thanks for the heads up darlin'."

"Don't call me darling!"

 _Floor 28_

When I got into town, there was a guy walking up to everyone within arms reach asking for help. As I walked pass him, he grabbed my arm. When I got a good look at him, he looked like he had gone through the meat grinder. Something I can relate to.

"Please, you've got to help me. They're all dead." He said.

"Whose dead?"

"My friends. My guild, all killed."

"Who?"

"Some lady. She lured us into a trap and had orange players rob and kill us. I barely escaped."

"Where?"

"Just outside of town. If you're going after them, I'm guessing you're gonna want to be paid."

"I'll do this for free."

As I walked to the gate, I thought through everything. If anyone knows what it feels like to lose people, it's me. I went into the Area and, upon hearing a cry for help, into a dense forest. The source of the cry was a young girl tied up and five orange players surrounded me.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here." Said a voice behind a tree.

The voice belonged to a red haired spearwielder, that stepped out from behind the tree.

"Well, if it isn't the handsome boy who threatened my Cassie?"

"Cassie? Like du Casse?"

"Why, yes. The name's Rosalia; My, has my luck been good today. I got to rob some suckers, _and,_ I get to kill The Lone Swordsman. Now drop your weapon or the girl gets it."

I complied and dropped my sword and even put my hands up. I looked at the tied up girl on the ground.

"Who's the girl?"

"Someone to draw people to us. And seemed to work like a charm."

"I'd congratulate you, if the plan wasn't so stupid."

"Stupid?"

"I mean you've got five guy aiming their weapons at me, you've got a victim, and your boyfriend killed my wife. Why hasn't Casse dumped your ass?"

"What are y-"

"The three things I hate most: People threatening me, hostages, and the girlfriend of the guy that killed my wife. Does he even know about this? That you're about to take his kill? He's probably gonna beat you like your father did."

"How did-"

"And looking at how these guys look at you, I'm guessing you're sleeping with them, which will piss du Casse off more."

"Shut up!"

Rosalia ran towards me, ready to plunge her spear into me. I used the ring and jumped back as Rosalia's spear went into the clone, turning her green cursor orange. I grabbed below the spearhead and broke the spear with my forearm then took the part of the spear in my hand, spun around, and stabbed Rosaila in the stomach. I grabbed her and placed the Talon against her throat.

"Close your eyes." I said to the captive.

I stabbed Rosalia in the eye, then in the stomach five times, spun her around and slit her throat twice.

"You lot! Give me everything you have: weapons, armor, cor, items. Everything!"

The five guys stripped naked and ran off. I managed to grab one of them by the throat.

"Run back to master and tell him what has happened."

I tossed him to the ground and he scurried away. I walked over to the girl, cut her loose, checked the bags dropped by the men. I picked up and tossed them in front of the girl.

"Take the loot and get out of here. I said walking away.

 _Two hours later_

I finished my writing for the night and was about to turn in, when out of nowhere, Jason appeared.

"Jesus Crow. Where the hell did you come from?"

"Why didn't you interrogate Rosalia about where du Casse was?"

"Death is too good for him. I want him to suffer. How'd you know she was going to be there?"

"That doesn't matter. I came to congratulate you on stopping her."

"I'm just getting even." I said turning around and look through my book.

"What are you writing?"

"A book that describes what's going on in SAO. If we ever get out of this game, I'm going to publish it. At least then people outside will know what we went through."

"Interesting idea. Does it got a name?"

"Well, I'm between titles: Tales of the Floating Castle, or Aincrad: Our Darkest Hour."


	3. Assassin

"Shiva, are you out of your mind? You want to put in a bar?" Said Lydia, a former employee of Achilles and friend of Robin.

"What's wrong with a bar? It should attract some customers." I said walking through my new restaurant, Norath.

"Yes, but it'll cost money we don't have to do so."

"Relax, Lydia. I'll find the money to do so."

"How?"

"I don't know, I just will."

"Why build this place if you aren't gonna be here for more than a day?"

"Look around, Lydia." I said turning around to face her. "Norath was Robin's dream. She may not have acted like it, but she was an aggressive lover rather than a fighter. She wanted to create a safe haven for players, a place with food and a roof over their head."

"Robin was my friend too. I may not have been as close to her as you, but she was still my friend."

"I know... Ok, we'll scrap the bar for now. At least till we get more money."

I walked into my room in Norath, and sat on my bed.

"Ames, what do I do?"

* * *

 _Approximately 36 hours later_

Out of nowhere she pulled out a big ass sword and plunged it into my stomach and pinned me into a tree.

"Son of a **Bitch!** Where the hell that sword come from?"

My health was depleting fast and I would die if I didn't remove the sword soon.

* * *

 _Approximately 32 hours ago_

I walked through the town of Mishe, getting ready for the weekly poker game with guys, where I mostly win. I passed a girl sitting on a bench, when I heard the faint sound of sobbing. I immediately turned around and walked up to the girl. This girl looked a couple years older than me, had milk tea brown hair, cute, and judging by the fact she was crying in silence, she didn't want people to notice.

"Excuse me, miss. Is everything alright?"

"Go away. Just leave me alone."

Now, I lived a sister, and I had Robin and Eir. I know when a girl say to leave her alone. Don't. But here in Aincrad, everyone is armed. And my code of survival says: Never mess with a woman that carries a blade.

"Sorry to bother you, miss." I said turning away.

"Wait! I'm sorry for being rude to you. You were only trying to be nice."

"It's fine." I said turning around again. "But seriously, is everything alright?"

"Well, my friend is being a jerk."

"I'm gonna let you in on a little known fact. Men are dogs, and I should know."

"How'd you know it was a boy?" She said giggling.

"You had the look. So, if you don't mind my asking, what was the fight about?"

"His boss has been given him a hard time lately. And he's been taking it out on me."

"He's not hitting you, is he?" I said sitting down.

"What? No. We've been friends since we were little kids. He would never hit me."

I chuckled as I thought about how I was in a similar position as her.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing, it's just, my girlfriend and I started out the same way. Childhood friends turned lovers. I'm just reflecting."

"Oh no, it's not like that. That would ruin our relationship." The blushing girl said looking away.

"You're blushing. You've thought about it haven't you?" Without saying a word, she nodded slightly. "Take my advice. Keep your distance, and don't talk to him for a few days. If he truly cares, he come to you with flowers. After that, at some point, get his attention and tell him he's buying dinner."

"Did that work for you?"

"It worked _on_ me. Robin walked into my room, turned off my computer, and dragged me out of my house. Basically she kidnapped me."

She giggled again.

"I don't think I introduced myself. My names Shiva. In the real world, I'm Ben Bellamont."

"Nice to meet you, Ben. I'm Yuuna Shigemura, or just Yuna."

"Beautiful name. I actually knew a girl named Yuna. She was a summoner, I think."

I grabbed Yunna's hand and kissed the back of it, like I always did when I wanted to be weird. And that's when I noticed the lute next to her.

"What's with the lute?"

"Oh, I'm a singer. Sometimes I play the lute as well."

"A singer? Ya know, I own a restaurant and we're having our grand reopening in two days. You could probably come down and sing there. You might be able to get more people to come hear you sing."

"I'll think about it."

And with that, I took my leave.

A couple hours later

I walked into the bar's backroom. Inside was Klein, Agil, three of their friends, and to my surprise, my old friend Jackal.

"Jackal? What are you doing here?"

"Well, when I heard you were having a poker game, I knew I had to come and kick your ass." He said shaking my hand.

"So how do you two know each other?" Klein asked.

"Jackal's an old friend. One of the best snipers I know, he can easily kill three hundred spartans single handedly."

"Let's get started. I need the money." Agil said.

 _Two hours later_

"Sorry Klein. I guess you'll have to wait to buy Myriam that necklace." I said pulling the chips towards me like Scrooge McDuck.

"Yeah, yeah. Why doesn't the winner go get the next round." He said

When I got up and walked to the bar for drinks, I noticed something. A girl with light purple hair sitting at the bar. Judging by her dress, which was purple and definitely was made by Ash, she wanted to be noticed. I spent years studying people's behavior, trying to learn things about them, and right now, it's like she's screaming with a bullhorn. I honestly can't stand attention seekers. But luckily I've learned to block them out.

"I haven't seen you here before. I'm Strea." She said.

I was a little stunned. Nobody ever talks to me, especially girls, unless they have to. With the exception of Amelia and Sarah. Just this once, I decided to bite.

"Name's Bellamont. Normally I come here to kick my friends asses in poker."

"Oh, I didn't know that they had poker here."

"So tell me, what brings you here? Especially wearing a dress."

"I _was_ waiting for my date. But I guess I've been stood up." She said looking and pouting at me.

"Now who would want to stand you up?"

"Probably a dog, like all men."

"I take offense to that."

"I had a feeling you might. But you don't seem like other guys, and you're probably more of a man than the rest of them."

"No, I just have an IQ of 187 and I'm more mature than everyone."

"Handsome and intelligent? You're full of surprises."

There's something off with this girl. Everyone calls me out when I say that my IQ's that high. Yet she's relatively unfazed by it, and seems to have an interest in me. Deep in the back of my mind I could hear Robin's voice, telling me to move on. We talked for a few minutes. Well, I talked and she flirted.

"How about I take you to dinner. Tomorrow? I know this nice restaurant."

"I'd like that."

I noticed something on her wrist when she got up and kissed me on the cheek. A red hourglass, like the ones on a Latrodectus. A black widow.

 _'Krosis!'_

I went back to the guys to digest what the hell I'd gotten myself into.

 _The next night_

I stood in front of the mirror in my room. I wrapped the chain around my arm and then threw on a nice suit coat that was made by Ash. I took another look in the mirror. If Strea really is The Widow, then she needs to think that she's seduced me. So I decided to get rid of the Dr. Reid look, That I normally had when I was in safezones, and tied my hair back. I walked over to my bed and grabbed the Talon and put it in my back sheath, before walking out. I can't take her to Norath or she might suspect something, so I'm taking her to a fancy restaurant. The owner owes me a favor, so he already made the reservations. As I sat down at the table and waited for Strea, I observed the people around.

"Wow. This place is really fancy." Strea said when she came to the table.

She was wearing a very nice black and purple dress, once again made by Ashley.

"Owner owes me a favor. Everything's free for us tonight."

I got up and pulled out her chair and then we ordered.

"You look beautiful tonight."

"Thank you. You look very handsome."

"So, tell me about yourself." I said pouring us some wine.

"Well I'm a solo player trying to support myself and my little sister."

"You have a sister?"

"Yeah. Too young to be playing this game."

I could see the sorrow in her eyes. I think I struck a nerve and perhaps found her weakness.

"Sorry if I struck a nerve."

"No, it's fine. How about you?"

"Pretty boring life. Mother, father, pain in the ass older sister. Bullied alot as a kid.

"That's awful. I have experience with bullies. How bad was it."

"A kid I thought was my friend told me to put on a blindfold on my birthday, I figured they're throwing me a surprise party. He walked me into a room where I was beaten to death with metal objects. I was in the hospital for about week or two."

"That's horrible... But tell you what lover, if you play your cards right, maybe I'll make blindfolds fun again."

I nearly choked on my wine. Of all the things I thought she would say, I never expected her to say that. If she's truly the Widow, than she's one hell of an actress.

"Excuse me, can you send a bottle of your best wine to that table over there?" I said as the waiter came by with our food.

"Why'd you send them wine?" Strea asked.

"The guy over there is going to propose to his date in about five minutes."

"How do you know that?"

"I'm good at reading people, very perceptive."

"Oh yeah? Couple, four o'clock."

"The woman wants to break up with her boyfriend. But he just bought her a nice necklace, and she doesn't want to break his heart." I said without looking.

"The table behind you?"

"Two men, best friends. One of them is sleeping with the others wife, and they're close to discovering it."

"What color underwear am I wearing?"

"Knowing your color scheme, I'd say black or purple. But, since you think you're getting laid tonight, you're not wearing any."

"What? I'm not getting any tonight?" She said in a joking tone and sipped her wine.

"I'm gonna kill you, you son of a bitch!" The man behind me said.

At this point all hell broke loose and people started fighting. I grabbed Strea and we ran out of the restaurant. I took her to the hamlet of Coral on the 22nd floor and up a hill overlooking the lake. We're outside of a safezone, so if she's going to kill me, this is where she'll do it.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" I said.

"Yeah, it is."

Strea then turned and wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me.

"Sorry about this."

Out of nowhere she pulled out a big ass sword, plunged it into my stomach and pinned me into a tree.

"Son of a **Bitch!** Where the hell that sword come from?"

"I'm gonna be honest with you. I really did have a great time tonight."

"God, I hate it when I'm right."

My health was depleting fast and I would die if I didn't remove the sword soon. I clenched my fist and create a clone in the tree behind Strea, that jumped and drop kicked her in the head, then pulled the sword out of my stomach. Once free, I climbed the tree to get a tactical advantage.

 _'From what I hear, she's very strong. Without my gear I may not stand a chance, and I can't open my menu without alerting her to my position. I wouldn't be surprised if she could cut down these trees with that greatsword of hers.'_

Strea threw some knives, knocking me out of the tree. She charged towards me, greatsword in hand. I dodged the swings and slashed her ribs. I flipped backwards to dodge one of her attack and she managed to cut my hair tie, causing my hair to get in my eyes and allowing her to knock me back when I landed. I evaded her attacks again, while keeping the hair out of my eyes. I wore her down and once she was slow enough, I knocked the sword out of her hands, wrapped the chain around her wrist and dangled her from a tree.

"Ya know what's got me stumped, Darlin'? Why am I still alive? Normally your victims are dead a few hours after meeting you. But you went out to dinner with me. And you sure as shootin' weren't trying in that fight."

It was then I noticed it. Her cursor was green, even after she attacked me. I looked her over and noticed her ring.

"Take off the ring."

She complied, removing the ring and tossing it on the ground in front of me. Her cursor changed to orange when she removed it.

 _'This is not good.'_

"So tell me why I'm alive." I said as I picked the ring up.

She didn't answer and didn't struggle to get free. She just dangled there.

"If you don't answer me, I'll have no choice but to probe your memory."

"I don't want to be the Don's assassin anymore. I just want to be alone."

"Don has your sister, doesn't he?"

She didn't answer, but I could see it in her eyes.

"I'll make you a deal. I'll release you and help you find your sister. If you get me information on the Don and du Casse."

"Why do you want Casse?"

"What did they tell you about me?"

"That you we're a loony that stated a war against them."

"Of course they would. Here's the truth: I'm after du Casse and the Don, because Casse slaughtered my guild and murdered my wife right in front of me."

"No, that's not Casse's MO, he just robs people. Reaper and his Coffins kill people."

"And what do you think he does when they don't give him their things. Only he didn't rob us, just murdered us. Unprovoked."

"I didn't have anything to do with that. I just want my sister."

"And you'll get her, as long as you stay out of my way and not harm anyone. I'll let you search for your sister in peace. And if I hear anything, I'll let you know."

"Deal. Now let me down."

* * *

I walked into my room, tossing my coat and on the bed, and looked up at the ceiling.

"Crow! Get down here!"

I heard the sound of crows cawing behind me and when I turned around, Jason was there.

"Catch." I said tossing him Strea's ring.

"What is it?"

"The ring that the Widow was using. It turned her cursor green."

Crow held the ring in between his thumb and index finger.

"The item ID is all screwy. Where'd you say you got it?"

"From the Black Widow. Said the Don gave it to her."

"If the Don has a something like this, we're screwed."

"That's what I thought."

"And if he can replicate it-"

"He could go everywhere, have spies everywhere, overrun the towns, and know what everyone is planning."

"We're gonna have to make a choice: Go after Reaper or the Don."


	4. Fairytale

I was paid a hefty amount of money to kill these two people who were hiding out in the Orange City, home of the Don and the rest of Aincrad's scum. Of course I'm not Laughing Coffin, so I didn't take the job. However, I'm not going to let someone get killed if they don't deserve it. I got to the room they were hiding in a few minutes ahead of the mob coming after the targets and, placing my hand on the door, I used a new ability Crow gave me and unlocked the door. Inside were the targets partly naked and in bed.

"Who the hell are you?! How did you get in here?!" The boy said.

"Come along now. We're leaving."

"What's going on?" The girl asked, scrambling to put on clothes

"There are five assassins gunning for your heads, because of your relationship."

"Were in a city aren't we? They can't kill us."

"We're in the Orange City. We can be killed here. Do you have crystals?"

"No, I haven't restocked yet."

"Me neither, I only have one crystal. You take it, and I'll escort her out of here." I said tossing him the crystal.

"No, no way I'm leaving her behind."

"Go to Granzam, or I'll kill your sister myself."

The brother grunted and then teleported away, and I grabbed the girl and ran out of the room, when I heard voices down the hall. I opened another door and told the girl to hide as I waited for a voice to come to the targets room. I threw the chain around his neck, pulled him into the room and shoving Talon into one of the links and into the ceiling, hanging him. The next assassin ran in slamming their battleaxe into the ground in front of me causing me to jump back and draw my sword. I grabbed a 40, smashed it over his head, stomped on him five times, stabbed him in the back and then decapitated him with his own axe.

"Let's go." I said grabbing Talon out of the ceiling.

We ran down the hall and managed to get out of the inn before we got attacked. I made short work of one of the assassins by cleaving them with the battleaxe, and deflected the others attack with my sword. I ducked under an attack, cutting off his arm and I hit him across the face with it. Then I cut into his ribs, then in between his neck and shoulders, and finally cutting straight down his head like I was killing the son of Thor. I looked around and saw the denizen of the city drawing the weapons, and my main way to escape is the rooftops, but I can't do that with the girl.

"Come on!"

I grabbed the girl's arm and we ran deeper into the city, and as we ran I whistled calling my horse which ran towards. I grabbed the reins, and threw the girl and myself onto the horse and rode through the crowd of criminal scum. I started swinging my sword at them as we ran past, slashing some of their faces. After we were out of the woods, I steered us towards the nearest safe town. Just behind the safezone boundary was Klein and Agil, who I asked to help bring the siblings to safety. Suddenly I as hit in the back and fell off my horse, paralyzed, as the horse kept running into the town. The fifth assassin had somehow managed to catch up with us, and was approaching me.

"Looks like I caught me the lone bastard."

Before he could do any damage, I used an antidote crystal and started beating him down. I cut off his hands with my sword and then wrapped the chain around his throat. When he died I walked past a shocked Klein and Agil.

"Come on gents, we need to return Sora to Haru."

"Shiva, you look awful. Why don't you go home, Agil and I will finish up here."

"I'm fine." I said.

"Seriously, Shiva. Go get some rest." Agil said.

I didn't feel like arguing with the guys and I didn't feel like walking all the way back to Norath, so I stayed at an inn. I walked into the fourth floor room and took off my armor and placed my sword against the end table and Talon on top. I put on some pants and lied down in bed. I closed my eyes and after awhile, a couple hours it felt like, I finally managed to fall asleep. Until I was woken up by a knock at my door. When I opened my door I was surprised to see Asuna.

"Asuna? What are you doing here? What time is it?" I said half-asleep.

"Around five o'clock. I need your help."

"Now's not a good time. I haven't slept in four days."

"Please, Shiva. It's urgent."

"Ugh, let me put on some clothes."

I grabbed my sword and dagger, put on a shirt and threw on my trench coat and walked out with Asuna.

"So the guys tell me that you just got off of a job. What was it this time? Domestic dispute? Assassinate an assassin?"

"Saving a brother and sister who were bumping headboards."

Asuna had a confused look on her face as she tried to figure out what I meant. After a few minutes of walking, we arrived at a group of players, KBO knights holding the crowd back, and Argo trying to get through. We walked past the guards and down the alley was a girl on the ground with flowers surrounding her body. The closer I got, the more I realized I knew her. It was the songress Yuna.

" _Traako._ "

"Do you know her?"

"Yeah, her name's Yuna. She would occasionally sing at Norath."

Yuna was in a strange dress and her chest was cut open. But before I could investigate further I could hear yelling.

"Yuna! Yuna!"

I looked over and saw a KBO knight running through the blockade. I grabbed him before he could get to the body and held him back. He fell down crying saying her name over and over again.

"Asuna, have one of your knights take him to Norath. And if you can, have Klein, Agil, or some of your knights question the crowd."

While a knight took the grieving player away, I crouched down and inspected the body. Yuna's hair use to be a light brown, but now it was black. Her fingers were interlocked and on her stomach. I used my camera crystal to photograph the crime scene. I took a closer look at the cut on her chest. She was cut with a knife of some sort, her sternum was cracked open and her heart was missing. I moved down to her stomach to find no cuts, but a large wound and what looked like teeth marks.

" _Lótesse iluvátar váre- tye ar keep ulcu- ullúme at baime._ " I said standing up.

"How did this happen? Are the safezones no longer safe?"

"I don't know. What I do know is that we have a cannibal on our hands."

"Cannibal?"

"A person who eat other people. Her heart and liver were eaten, judging by the markings. Can you do me another favor? Let Argo in and tell her to take a picture of Yuna, but don't let her leak it to anyone yet. This kind of killing and display doesn't stop at one person."

An hour later

Asuna and I sat at the new bar that was installed in Norath, while I pieced together what happened.

"How did this happen?" Asuna said.

"I don't know. I had Crow check the body. He said that it was definitely Yuna, but she had no brain activity."

"So what do we know so far?"

"Yuna was killed by someone. She had a cut on her chest, her sternum was crack open and her heart and liver were eaten. She was posed, lying on the ground with her fingers interlocked and her hands resting on her stomach, and flower placed around her."

"And so far nobody's seen anything."

I heard the front door open and looked over to see Liz walking in.

"I took a look at the dress. It's made by Ashley."

"Not surprising. There's only one person who can make a dress like that, just had to be sure."

"Thanks for the hammer, Ben." She said kissing me on the cheek.

"No problem, Liz."

"What hammer?" Asuna asked.

"I gave her my blacksmithing hammer a coupe months ago. I makes all items forged stronger."

"How come she's thanking you now?"

"Because I paid a little kid named Wiggins to deliver it and not tell her who it was from."

Just then a message appeared from Klein saying that there was another murder. The three of us went to the second crime scene. This time the victims were male and female, and they were both wearing old clothing. I crouched down as I checked the woman.

"What do you see?" Asuna asked.

"Well the guy's eyes are missing, probably eaten. Tell me Asuna, what do you see on the female vic?"

"Beside her stomach looks missing? She looks a bit bloated, like she's fat around her stomach."

"Not fat. my dear Asuna. Pregnant. Her body was modified to look pregnant."

"By who? Herself?"

"No, by the killer."

I stepped back and looked over both crime scenes in my head. The clothing was very odd and probably forced on by the killer, and the injures seemed familiar. After a few minutes I came to my conclusion.

"Grimm."

"What?"

"The killer is killing in the form of the original fairytales, written by the Grimm Brothers, years ago. Or at least just the original "

"I don't follow."

"The original fairytales were dark, they include murder, sex, cannibalism. So if I remember correctly, this is Rapunzel."

"She was killed in her story?"

"No, but she was pregnant. She had her hair cut and was cast out from her tower, and the prince jumped out of the tower after discovering he was never get to see her again and landed face first into thorns, blinding him. They found each other, I think a few years later, and lived happily ever after."

I looked over the crime scene again, there must be something to help track the killer down. Of course there was nothing.

"Give Argo the go ahead. And question _everyone_ on this floor. Lock the floor down."

 _Three hours later_

Of course the search comes up empty, and nobody's seen anything. I stood in my room trying to piece together the case. I look at the crime scenes, potential suspects, the whole nine. I was so caught up in my work that I didn't notice my door open.

"Why are you looking at a blank wall?" Said Lisbeth.

"Going over my case notes." I said without looking away.

"By looking at a blank wall? Asuna was right, you are a strange one."

"Come over here if you don't believe me."

When Liz stood next to me I turned her around to face me, and placed my index and middle finger on her temple. Thus granting her the ability to see what I see.

"Whoa. Did your friend do this for you?" She said turning at the wall

"Jason showed me how to bring people into my head. But all of this is what I see. I have to case notes, every thought in my head, even people characteristic as I discover them."

"Oh really? What do you have on me?"

"Proud, arrogant, stubborn, friendly when not insulted. You enjoy flirting with boys, and your very close to Asuna, like she saved you. Let me guess, you were fighting a monster that got the best of you, and Asuna jumped in before you could be killed."

"How'd you know that?"

"I'm the sheriff. I know things."

"Well, tell me something about yourself. So we're even."

"What about?"

"Tell me about the massacre."

"You still don't fully trust me, do you? Ok, I'll humor you. I had a village and a guild that I ran. I had a wife and people who respected me for once in my life. But this was different, Robin and I got into a fight about my 'lack of self-indulgence' as she called it."

"Lack of self-indulgence?"

"I will never put myself above others. Their lives are more valuable than mine. But you want to know what hurts the most about that day? It wasn't that the three people I cared about the most were killed in front of me. It was the fact the she broke up with me and we never got over it."

I picked up Robin's wedding ring that was around my neck and looked at it.

"I'm sorry." Liz said.

There was a silence as we looked at the case file. Liz then pointed at the suspect list.

"Why isn't Reaper the prime suspect?"

"Because this isn't his MO. He sometimes gives his victims a chance to defend themselves, or blitz attacks them or hangs them. But he doesn't put them on display."

"So our only lead so far is Ashley."

"Seems like it. And with Argo's paper, it should buy us enough time before the next killing."

 _Ten minutes later_

I walked up to Ash's shop and placed my hand on the door, then took a few steps back and kicked the door off the hinges. Ash and the customer she was serving, cried out in shock.

"Shiva! What the hell?!" Ashley said as I approached the counter and signaled for the customer to leave.

"Read the news lately, Ash? Don't you recognize your babies on the murder victims." I said as I held up the paper.

"I... um."

"Let's cut to the chase. Who'd you make the clothes for?"

"I don't know."

I could tell by the look in her eyes that she was lying, that, and she never was a very good liar.

"You forget, Ash. I can very easily destroy you, your reputation, and your shop. Three people are dead, and your clothes are on all of them!"

"Ok, listen. A little kid came in here and order seven or eight pairs of clothes. Three of them looked like the ones on the dead players."

"Seven or eight? That means he has more victims in mind. Did you get the kid's name, by any chance?"

"His names Wiggins. He's the son of a Army higher up, and works as an delivery boy."

"Wiggins?"

Before either of us could say anything else, I received a message from Asuna.

 **"** _There's been another victim. But different them the last._ **"**

 _Ten minutes later_

Asuna was right this one was different. I stood outside the inn room where I saw a girl, in a dress, lying on the bed and in the same position as Yuna. But instead of flowers, there were thorns surrounding the bed.

"Rose." I said walking in.

"What?" Asuna said.

"Briar Rose, aka Sleeping Beauty."

I moved closer to investigate. Her index finger was bitten off, perhaps symbolizing the finger she pricked. I grabbed her wrists to test a theory of mine, but when I tried to pull her hands apart, they wouldn't budge. Almost like she was paralyzed.

"My god. She's still alive."

"What?"

I pulled out an antidote crystal and used it on her, but it didn't so I placed my hand on the side of her face and went through her menu, and sent a message. A couple of minutes later, a man came into the room.

"Oh my god, Cynthia! What's going on here?" He said frantically

"Short version is that your girlfriend was kidnapped by the Fairytale killer and is now in a death like state."

"How do we wake her up?"

"My theory? You have to kiss her."

"What?" Asuna and the boyfriend said.

"Thorns, missing finger, death like sleep. She's suppose to be Sleeping Beauty."

The boyfriend took a deep breath

I turned around to see none other than Strea.

"Strea, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I heard about the murders and had a feeling you were involved."

"Well, your feeling was right."

"So what have you got so far?" She asked as we started walking.

"I got three dead victims, one living, all dressed up and from three different fairytales. As well as no leads and no real suspects. "

"Well, it's a good thing I'm here. I think I might have a lead."

"What is it?"

"An old contact of mine told me of a player by the name of Creacher. Rumor is he went crazy, started living in a cave, and eats people. He's caused a lot of problems for some players."

"How come I've never heard of him?"

"Call it a hunch. And if he isn't a part of it, then he must know who is."

"So you have two potential leads, and not a lot of time before Fairytale strikes again."

"You're right. I can't go after both leads. How about we split up? Since The Don thinks you're dead, I'll go talk to him, and you can talk to Creacher."

 _Orange City_

I hopped across the rooftops of the city. After what happened earlier, the city is on alert. The Don's home is in the middle of the city, and happens to be the most heavily guarded. But, luckily for me I scouted the place awhile back, and know that there's a secret entrance on the roof. I jumped off the building I was on and scaled the wall up to The Don's roof. From there I found the entrance and rappelled down. I dropped down into the attic and moved towards the hatch, when the hatch opened. I jumped up, knocked out the light and hung to the ceiling, before the guard came up, and when he walked past me, I dropped down and started beating him to unconsciousness with my chain wrapped fist. I went over to the hatch and saw a second guard standing there. I threw the chain around his throat, pulled him up and started pummeling him to a pulp. I couldn't afford to kill anyone here without the possibility of alerting the whole house. house. After dealing with the two guards, I made my way towards The Don's study with little difficulty. Inside, I went through his desk, looking for anything that could tell me if he is involved in the murders. I went through everything in his desk, but couldn't find anything. Then the door knob turned, and I hide behind the bookcase near the desk. The Don walked into the room and sat at his desk. I crept towards him slowly, drawing my sword, and then placing it against his throat.

"Hello, Don." I said.

"Shiva. I had a feeling you'd be here."

"And I bet you know _why_ I'm here. What do you know about the Fairytale killer?"

"Only what's in the papers."

"I don't believe you. You're the ruler of the criminal underworld, you know everything that goes on in your empire."

Just then, there was a knock on the door. I removed the blade from The Don's throat, telling him to act natural, before hiding in the shadows again. The person who walked in was old man's son. I heard stories of his son. He's and idiot constantly to impress his father. Like that kid who stole that car and killed that dog.

"Father, you wanted to see me?" He said.

"Yes. Have you seen the paper recently?"

"Yes sir. About the 'Fairytale'. Nasty business."

I could notice that he was bouncing his middle finger off the palm of his hand.

"You wouldn't happen to know anything about it. Would you?"

"No sir."

He started bouncing faster, and scratched the side of his face. He was lying. I charged towards the son and kicked him in the head.

"You're lying. You know something about the killer." I said.

I flipped him over and placed my knee on his upper arm, just above his elbow and held his wrist, while old Donny boy called for help.

"Talk!"

I pulled his wrist up slightly, bending his elbow back.

"I paid him!"

"What?" The Don and I said.

"I hired him. To show you that I was ready to take over."

"I would have never wanted this." The Don said.

"Where's Fairytale? How to you contact him?"

"I don't know. I meet him in a bar."

"What bar?"

"..."

"What!" _SNAP_ "Bar!"

"Strangles! The bars called Strangles!"

I stood up and left Junior a little reminder by wrapping my hand around his fist and crushing his hand. When I let go, his fingers were all crooked. Crow taught me how to leave permanent damage to people. And before I left, I kicked him in the head. The bar proved to be fruitful, I got a potential base and a name. Grove.

Back in town

As I walked back into town, I noticed there was a group of people huddled around in a circle. I knew what it was and I

hoped I was wrong. I walked up to the crowd and pushed them out of the way.

"Krosis."

Three more bodies. A man, missing his lower half, and two girls, both of their eyes were plucked out. One of them was missing toes, the other had their heels mutilated. I knew what fairytale the girls were from, but not the man. I looked over the body, there were teeth marks on what remained of his abdomen, and one of his hands was clenched. I pried open his fist and found a note.

 **"** _I was wondering when you would get close to me. I knew that idiot would sell me out at some point. I've got your precious Vice Commander as well as a couple of hostages. You've got till midnight to find me or else they die. Tick-tock Destroyer, Tick-tock._ **"**

"Damn. I only a couple of hours till midnight. Let's hope the location I got is the right one."

I ran to the location, a ruined castle on the twelfth floor. I knew he probably had laid traps around the ruins, so I kept my guard up as I went in. The inside was as you would expect: stone interior, with rubble on the floor, a wooden door on the side of the room. The only thing I could hear was a knife flying past my head and scratching my shoulder. So much for having my guard up. Paralyzed, I was dragged through the ruin and brought into the main room.

"Well well well, the false god graces us with his presence." A voice said.

My hands were bound and I was forced to my knees. The voice was a twenty-something guy, and next to him was a tied up Asuna.

"So you're Grove. I expected you to be taller."

"And you're just as I expected. An insolent child."

I looked at the two guys next to me, who paralyzed and restrained me. They were trying very hard to hide that they were fearstrickened. I wasn't sure if they were afraid of me or Grove.

"Tell me, how long did junior hold out for? a second? five?"

"Roughly seven."

"Fascinating. From what I've heard about you, I expected him to crack immediately. So Mr. Holmes, what else have you learned about me, besides my name."

"Your victims were all random, but if you were doing this for yourself, the posing would be your way of controlling them and living out a fantasy. But you're a proxy killer, doing someone else's bidding, so the posing was to draw Don's attention. The fairytales and cannibalism is just you sick fetish."

"That's pretty good for an amateur detective. Except, there's some flaws. The fairytales and cannibalism were to get someone's attention, just not The Don's"

"It was for me."

"Now you're getting it. Why do you think Yuna was the first victim. I knew that the bodies of players being left in safe zone would draw attention, but then I thought 'What the hell, let's have some fun'."

That pushed me over the edge, and I started seeing red as I broke the bonds around my hands and grabbed the two players next to me. Grove pulled Asuna onto her feet, and put a blade to her throat, as I blew the henchmen's heads off.

"Finally, you show your true colors." Grove said.

"Asuna, do you remember getting a little box on your birthday? With a card that had two lines and a big X in the middle?"

"Yeah? It's was a pair of earrings. I'm wearing them right now."

"Perfect. _Ancalima!_ "

I closed my eyes right before the bright flash emitted from the earrings, blinding Grove and causing him to release Asuna. I zipped towards Grove and lifted him by the throat.

"Who hired you?! It couldn't have been Don's kid, he isn't smart enough!"

"Did you think you were the only one with a Jason Crow? There's others like him."

"Who?! Give me a name!"

"Hahahaha."

"Don't do it, Shiva. There's another way."

"What? Throw him in Black Iron and have him stand trial in the real world? There's no way anyone would convict him."

"Maybe they will, maybe they won't. But we can't turn into these monsters."

"Yeah, listen to your bitch."

I slammed Grove so hard on the top of his head, that I knocked him unconscious.

"If something happens. It's on you." I said walking away.

"Where are you going?"

"To get some answers."


	5. The Mystery

I stood over an orange haired girl, lying on a bed. She was in a state of undress, but was covered up with a sheet. I heard light footsteps come up next to me.

"What do you think? Fairytale? A copycat?" The Vice Commander said.

"Neither. It could be another attempt by the secret client to get my attention."

"If the client is as powerful as you say. Why not come after me directly?"

"Well, you are very well known in Aincrad. A lot of guys are in love with you, so it's not impossible that the killer is in love with you too. This girl is a surrogate, without a doubt. I mean the hair color and style is spot on, and the perfume is identical."

"How do you know what perfume I wear?"

"You can't fool this nose."

I lifted the sheet and looked over the body. There were some ligature marks on her wrists, and the words 'False God' carved on her stomach. There were strangulation marks around her throat, which normally signify a strong hatred towards someone.

"Anything new?"

"I'm getting the feeling the killer _really_ hates you."

"How do you mean?"

"It's just a working theory. In the mean time, I'd recommend you stay off the streets and out of the Area."

"I'm not just going to sit around, while people are being made to look like me and then killed."

"Asuna, you are the leader of the Blood Oath. Without you, we're screwed."

"Heathcliff is the leader-"

"Yeah, well, we all know that Heathcliff doesn't do jack. You're the true leader. Let the more expendable people get sacrificed."

I walked out of the inn and went back to Norath. After helping out there, I sat at the bar.

"Long day?" Said a voice.

"It's always a long day."

Strea pulled up a chair next to me.

"You look awful. When was the last time you slept?"

"I can't afford to sleep. Especially with what happened this morning."

"Well, how about fun? When was the last you had fun?"

"Not a luxury I can have. Too many people counting on me."

"Why? You don't owe these people anything. What have they done for you?"

"..."

"Right, don't answer me. Goodnight Shiva." She said getting up.

"I do this to prove a point. No one helped me when I was beaten to a pulp, or when one of my classmates broke my leg at the knee. Even though no one looked out for me, I will still help them, because I have to be better than them."

 _The Next Day_

Another Asuna look alike was found dead. But this one looked a bit more like Asuna than the last one. The killer is definitely fixated on Asuna. This time the skin on her wrists and ankles were peeled from the ligature marks, meaning the binds were tighter and she was struggling more. And the words 'Mine' were carved on her body. Asuna walked in and became very disturbed looking at the body.

"What did you find?" She said softly.

"It wasn't consensual. The first girl started struggling when she was being strangled, meaning she came here of her own free will. This one was struggling the whole time, so it was against her will."

"Who could be doing this?"

"I'll bet my life that Fairytale's secret client has something to do with it. I think of anyone else who can stop bodies from vanishing."

I heard the flapping of wings and looked over to see Jason sitting in a chair in the corner of the room.

"Crow."

"Bellemont."

"What? How did he-?" Asuna said.

"Apologies, Ms. Yuuki. I didn't mean to startle you. I'm Jason Crow." He said kissing the back of her hand.

"What brings you here?"

"The murders. I think I know who one of their targets is going to be."

Jason handed me a paper and a stone and vanished.

"You've got to be kidding me."

"What?" Asuna asked.

"I'm going to the City of Indulgence."

"Where?"

"A hidden city of vices and debauchery."

"Well, I'm coming too."

"No. No you're not."

"Yes I am."

"You're not gonna take no for an answer, are you?"

"Nope."

"Well guess what. I have the stone and know where the city is. Goodbye."

I pulled out a teleport crystal and teleported away. I walked to the outskirts of a forest. I pulled out the stone and walked forward. A few steps in, as per condition of entering the city all of my weapons were removed and the whole forest changed into a city. The City of Indulgence, a place of gambling, alcohol and sex. I've had targets flee to this place and been unable to catch them without a stone. And even if I did, I can't kill them, or drag them out without the whole city gunning for me. I looked at the picture while dodging a couple drunk players stumbling around. My first step is to find someone who's seen the girl, so I stepped into the first building I saw. I walked into the casino and looked around. Everyone was losing at the tables, or cheating.

"Excuse me. You wouldn't happen to know where I can find this girl?" I said showing the man the picture.

"Piss off."

"He's got a Three of a Kind." I said pointing to the man.

He stood up cursing and threw a punch. I grabbed it, bent his wrist backwards and slammed his head against the table.

"Where do I find the girl?"

"Check... the bar near...the center of town. If she's not there... then check the Gentleman's Palace."

I let him go and as I walked out, I grabbed some cards on the tables and looked at the ones I lifted from his pocket. I walked further into the city, with more drunkards fumbling about. In the bar, I went to the one person who knows everyone's business.

"Pour me a glass of whiskey."

The bartender placed the shot glass on the counter and poured the whiskey. I picked up the shot ad drank it.

"I'm looking for a girl." I said.

"Ain't we all, brother."

"Well it's important that I find this girl. Let's just say she can lead me to some one."

I showed the bartender the photo.

"You're out of luck. She's running an errand right now."

"At the Palace?"

"She'll be going there soon. But talking to her is going to be difficult.

"Why's that?"

"Because the only way to talk to her is to buy her time. And everyday around this time, someone pays her for a couple hours."

"Do you know who it is?"

"Nope. No one ever see them."

"Thanks."

 _An hour later_

The girl walked into a room and put down a bag or something.

"Hello Ms. Silver." I said turning on a light.

She jumped back startled, and with the light on, I could see it was true, the resemblance was uncanny.

"I knew humans were twisted, but I didn't think they would stoop so low."

"Y-you're Shiva aren't you. Why are you here?"

"So let's see if I've got this right. Many people come here with twisted fantasies. And you supply the demand for a certain fantasy, ones of the KBO Vice Commander."

"Please don't kill me. If your upset about what I'm doing I'll stop."

"I don't care about what you're doing. I'm here because you have something to do with the case I am on. Either someone is going to kill you or you are connected to the mastermind behind it."

"Why would someone want to kill me?"

"Because you look almost identical to Asuna and-... How do you know my name?"

I got up and place my hand on the side of her head, and I went through her mind. I saw everything from a third person view. Silver was blindfolded and lying down. I saw du Casse and another man talking, but the man was shadowed, like a silhouette, almost like he was being blocked from her memory. They were talking about me and the trouble I've caused them, and the shadowed man said he had plans for I removed my hand, something hit me in the head and knocked me out. I woke up on the floor in some warehouse looking room.

"Shiva?" A familiar voice said.

"Asuna? What the hell are you doing here? I thought I told you to say behind."

"And I thought I made it clear that I was coming with you."

"Well well well. Now that you two are awake, we can get to the killing ." Said a voice.

Two guys walked into the room, and one of them pulled out a dagger. One look at the dagger and I got an extreme migraine, like someone shattered my skull with a hammer. I fell over in pain as what seemed like a storm started inside the room. Asuna grabbed my wrist and we ran out on to the street and into the back of a casino. I used the wall as support while Asuna closed the door.

"Asuna. Get out of here."

"I'm not leaving you alone. What happened in there? Was that storm you?"

"That dagger, I've seen it before. And the storm. That was something else."

The migraine started to fade and I heard footsteps and familiar voices.

"Asuna, Run. They're after _you_."

"I'm not leaving-"

"Asuna Yuuki, I am telling you to run! You are far more important than I am! Go!"

Asuna gave me a worried look and ran out the front of the casino away. I stood and walked through the casino, nicking decks of cards on the tables as I passed.

"There he is! Twenty thousand cor to whoever kills The Destroyer!" Said one of the perps behind me.

Everyone in the casino stood up and came at me. I spotted a one handed broadsword on one of the walls and moved towards it. Sword in hand, I ran through the crowd slicing them and jumping over them. I slid across a poker table, grabbing the edge and flipped it, before spinning around and kicking at the crowd. I elbowed a couple gambler's and tossed them at others. I shot all the cards I grabbed into the air, and when they came down they acted like a smoke screen and covered my movements while I escaped upstairs. I made it to the roof where both men was already there, one swung at me with the dagger. Every time I look at the dagger I get a migraine, and it's affecting my concentration. I dodged the swing and stabbed him in the stomach then grabbed the his by the throat and blow his head off. I rushed over to the second and lifted him by the throat.

"Who sent you to kill me?"

"Piss off."

I broke both his arms before tightening my grip around his throat.

"Who. Sent. You."

"A-A-Alberich."

Suddenly, his eyes and mouth started to glow and light shot out and he yelled out before pixelating. I took a step back from shock and hear thunder as a blade pierced my heart from behind. Then I was lifted up and brought to the edge of the building.

"Time to die, false god. You will vex me, no longer."

I was then tossed off the building with the sword still in my heart. I sat up gasping for air in the spot where I was sitting before, and my head was pounding. I stumbled to my feet and out the door, and collapsed a foot away from the sword. I rolled onto my back looked at the night sky, and that's when I saw a figure.

"Robin?"

I woke up in an unfamiliar room, I had pain in my chest when I tried to sit up. My hair was let down, I was shirtless, and there was a scar where I was stabbed.

"Looks like you've been through the ringer, lover."

"I feel like it... You didn't come all the way here for little ol' me, did you?"

"When I heard that someone started a fight in the City of Indulgence, and Asuna carrying a man in black armor. I had a feeling that it was you.

"I appreciate your concern darlin'. But I've a question. Have you ever heard of a player by the name of Alberich?"

"I think I've heard the Don say that name. From what I understand, he's basically a god. Why do you ask?"

I didn't respond and grunted as I sat up and after a few seconds it hit her.

"He did this to you?"

"He stabbed me with a sword I took from the casino. I don't know how it created a scar."

"I'd tell you to avoid him, but I know you better than that."

"He's targeting me, I can't stand idly by while that happens. How many people has he killed to get my attention? He's immoral."

"Just be careful. It would break my heart, if I never get to see your handsome face again." She said as she put her hand on the side of my head.

"Aww, I bet you say that to all the boys."

"Only the ones I like." She said patting the side of my face. "I'm gonna see if I can find anymore information on Alberich."

"Be careful." I said as she exited out the window she came in from.

I grunted as I tried to stand.

"Whoa, hang on Ben." Asuna said walking in. "We still don't know what's wrong."

"I'm fine. How long was I out for?"

"Two days."

"I thought I told you to go."

"And I told you I wouldn't leave you behind. And it's a good thing I didn't."

"Ugh. How'd you even get into the city?" I said, standing on my own.

"One of the knights had a stone and told me where the city was. It's also how I got you out. Speaking of that, how are you still alive? I saw you get thrown off the building, sword through chest, and pixelated."

"It's a gift from Crow. The Deceiver ring. It allows me to create a clone of myself, and when the ring is upgraded enough I can control it. I can even project a clone near me, but I can't use it to slip out if I'm restrained or if I can't move my hands."

"So how'd you get the scar if your clone got stabbed?"

"I don't know."

"And what caused you to collapse? Was it being stabbed?"

"It was the dagger and the ring. Control of the duplicate requires a lot of concentration, and that dagger was giving me a migraine and disrupting my focus. Add long period of stress to catch Kirito, du Casse, and trying to find Liz, and you've stress induced exhaustion."

"Did you get any information from those two guys?"

"Yup, as well as from the man himself. I have enough to put together a profile."

"What is it?"

"This Alberich is an ego-driven narcissist, and megalomaniac. Who sees himself as a god, which is why he keeps calling me a 'false god'. He's also fixated on you, which is why he pays Silver everyday to dress up as you, to feed his sick fantasies, and it's why he carved 'Mine' on the second victims body. He doesn't realize or believe that our relationship to strictly professional. He views me as a threat to everything he has or thinks he has."

"What are you going to do next?"

"I have to find him. Too many people have died because of me."


	6. Doomsday

It was a slow day at Norath. Not very many customers. I was sitting at the bar having a small drink.

"Isn't it a little early to be drinking?" Said a voice.

"It's five o'clock somewhere."

The voice sat down next to me and gave me a serious look.

"What can I do for you, Ms. Blood Oath?"

"You know what. You said you would find Kirito."

"And I am. I'm breaking him slowly. I've already taken away the things he cares about."

"And how does that stop him?"

"Kirito is human. Even though he's broken, he can be broken again. And once he's broken, he'll be easier to confront."

I took a sip of my drink and my hunter senses went off.

"A smell a rat."

"If it isn't my lucky day. Aincrad's most eligible bachelorette and the One Man Army. Two people I wanted to talk to, in the same place." Said the Rat.

"What can I do for you, Argo?" I said flatly.

"Straight to business." She said walking over to me. "I want to do an interview on you for the Weekly Argo."

"Why? My life isn't very exciting."

"Are you kidding? You're a complete mystery. You're waging a one man war on Laughing Coffin and The Don, people want to know why."

"If I say yes, will you leave me alone?"

"Admit it. You like it when I bother you."

"No, I really don't."

"Hey Asuna, I want to get a quote from you on Shiva. Can you stay here for a bit?"

"Sure, Argo."

"Ok Shiva, first question: Who are you in the real world?"

"I'm a high school punching bag, my entire life I've been beaten to a pulp by other kids.

"Sounds like you had a rough childhood."

"It wasn't all bad. I had two loving parents, a pain in the ass sister, and a couple friends."

"Interesting. Next question: So, very few people actually know that you own a restaurant. So how did you come by it?"

"I had a friend, about two years back who owned a restaurant. His name was Achilles and, like Asuna's friend Agil, he owned a store and also went out and fought in the Area."

"What happened to him?"

"He got killed in the Area, about a year ago. I inherited his restaurant from his Will. Afterwards, I sold it and used the money to buy another one on a higher floor, and renamed it Norath."

"Hmmm, now we're getting somewhere. Next question, and this is the big one: Why are you going after criminals, Laughing Coffin and The Don?"

"Well, that's a long story. But I guess it all started with the death of my late wife Robin."

"Wait a second. You were married? What happened to her?"

"She was killed, along with my guild, by a player named du Casse. Who works with The Don and Laughing Coffin. That's why I do this, to make sure that no one ever has to go through that. Ever. I've worked night and day trying to track down du Casse and the Reaper, and the first chance it get to kill them, I'm taking it."

"You must be so lonely." Argo said.

"You have no idea."

Seconds later, the Norath door was practically knocked down and I was nearly knocked over. I looked down and saw a sobbing girl with her arms around me.

"Elise, for god sake, what's wrong?"

"He found me. I just barely got away from him." She said still sobbing.

"Your ex? How?"

"I don't know."

"Is this one of your clients, Shiva?" Asuna asked.

"Yup. Abusive ex-husband/boyfriend that I now have to beat the hell out of." I looked down at Elise. "Where's he staying?"

"I think an inn on the 35th floor."

A few minutes later

I walked through the main town on the 35th floor with Asuna and Argo behind me, while Elise was stayed back in Norath.

"Why are you girls still following me?" I asked.

"Well, I enjoy watching you work. And I'm guessing Argo wants something else to put in her paper."

"Fine, but you two stay out here."

When we got to the inn, the girls did what I told them to do and stood across the street. I walked into the inn and knocked on the door Elise told me. When the door opened slightly I kicked it, knocking the occupant back. I grabbed him by the neck and slammed him through a table. I could see my glowing red eyes in the reflection of his terrified eyes. I tossed around the room and into walls.

"I thought I told you to stay away from Elise."

I picked him up again and tossed him out the window. I pulled my chain out of my inventory and wrapped it around my wrist. I looked out the window and saw that he was starting to get off the ground, so I went to the middle of the room and dove out the window. I threw the chain at him, wrapping around his chest, as he was running and pulled myself towards him. When I was close I grabbed his shoulders and flipped forwards, landing on my feet, and slammed the top of his head into the ground. A large crowd gathered around us.

"To answer your question, Argo." Asuna said. "Yes, he has to be a badass."

"Is that good enough for you, Argo?"

"More than enough for the paper." She said.

To make sure he stayed down, I grabbed his legs and spun in a circle before letting go and sending him into a nearby building.

"Time to tell Elise the good news."

The three of us went back to Norath, when I was slammed into a wall so hard it cracked and a blade was plunged into my shoulder. I cried out from the tremendous pain and noticed my health bar was depleting. I pushed off of him and put some distance between us. What I saw terrified me. In front of me stood a mountain of a man.

 _'Oh my god, it's an Olog!'_

Between being slammed into a wall and my health depleting, I concluded that this is Alberich's handy work. If Alberich sent an assassin after me in public, I need to kill this guy quickly or get him out of the city.

"What do they call you?" I asked.

"..."

"Strong, silent type? Fine. I'll call you Brutus."

I grabbed Talon and threw it at Brutus, it went right into his chest, and he pulled on the chain pulling me towards him and he launched into the air with an uppercut. I hit the top of the floor and stuck my sword into the ceiling.

"Lord, he's strong."

From up here I could see that Brutus was attacking random people in the city. I pulled another chain out of my inventory and wrapped it around my other hand.

 _'Gotta wear him down.'_

I pulled Talon out of the ceiling and freefell back down to the city. A few feet off the ground, I threw the blade into Brutus's back, while he was distracted, and pulled myself closer to him and brought my knee right into his face as he turned around. While he was stunned, I started moving around his body slashing him and tying him up.

"Asuna! Penetrator!"

I tightened the chain while Asuna ran back and then back towards us activating _Flashing Penetrator_. Both Brutus and I were knocked back. Brutus was a little bit more stunned than I was, when I sat up off the ground. grabbed the maces out of two nearby players hands using my chain. Maces in hand, and some extended reach, I slammed them down on his head repeatedly.

"Die. You. Olog. Piece. Of. Shrahk!"

Senses went off behind me, second assassin. I detached the mace in my right hand and threw it behind me, and grabbed Talon again. I swung the second mace at Brutus's head, who was starting to get off his feet.

"You." I said pointing at a shield bearer. "Tell anyone you see to evacuate the city immediately. Any defenders types you see, tell them to block off the streets."

I walked over to Brutus, ready to end this, when he grabbed my leg and threw me through the city, until I landed in Norath of all places.

"Heya Klein." I said as I got put of the wall and walked towards him. "Fancy seeing you here."

"When I saw the city being trashed, I came to see if you were all right." He said.

"Peachy. Nothing like getting Ponged around the city."

"What the hells going on?"

"Someone tearing down the city. I think they're after me, but I'm not sure and I really don't want to know."

"What do we do?"

"You go help with the evacuation, while I distract him. Afterwards, I have a plan."

I told Klein the plan and we both left Norath. I followed the trail of carnage to Brutus. A group of people were running towards me and as they ran by, I grabbed a lance from one of them and climbed up to the rooftops. From there I could see Brutus fighting some defenders. I ran the rooftops and spinning in the air, throwing the spear into his back. Brutus turned around and was stabbed by in the back by the defenders. He turned around again and knocked the defenders back. I ran across the wall, ready to attack him, when a thought occurred. _Where the hell was the dagger he stabbed me with?_ I soon found out, after he turned back to me and a blade came out of the top of his frickin' wrist! And stabbed me in the stomach. The pain was almost unbearable, and felt like it would in the real world. I took my sword and jabbed it into his eye, causing him to release me. I held where I was stabbed and I looked behind me and saw Klein and looked behind Brutus to see Asuna. I walked up to Brutus, ready to blow his head off and just as my hand was an inch away, he grabbed and shattered my hand.

"Not this time."

I stabbed him in the stomach, but he was unfazed by it. He lifted me up over his head, grabbing and breaking my hands and legs.

"Guys! Now!"

Time seemed to slow as Brutus was slamming me down and Asuna and Klein charged and activated theirs sword skills.

 _'I'll be joining you soon, pretty bird.'_

Time went back to normal.

 _CRACK!_

My spine snapped like a twig, as Brutus Bane-ed me and broke my back.


	7. Alberich

_'I'll be seeing you soon, Pretty Bird.'_

 _CRACK!_

I heard rushing water, and opened my eyes to find myself in a cave. I tried to move but couldn't, like I was paralyzed. My hands and fingers were crooked and I couldn't feel my feet.

"Welcome back to the land of the living." Said a voice.

"Jason? What's going on? And why can't I moved?"

Jason walked over to me, placed his hand on my back and helped me to my feet. My fingers were straight again and I could moved them.

"Alberich sent a brute to kill you, and almost did. But lucky I teleported you here to help me."

"Help you with what?"

"With killing Alberich."

It was at this point when I was getting fed up with Jason and his cryptic messages. He warned me of danger before, so why didn't he warn me this time.

"Hang on a second, Crow. I want some answers. Why is Alberich so obsessed with me? And why haven't you kept your word about allowing me to talk to Amelia again. You wanted me to find the Reaper and I have. I know his name, what he looks like and the people he cares about the most."

"Alberich has been blocking me out. I didn't know who he was until you told me. I don't know how he's doing it, but one of the things he's stopping me from doing is letting you talk to Robin."

"But why? Why me, and not someone else?"

"I don't know. He thinks you're a threat to him."

"Then let's kill him and get this over with."

I looked around the cave. The cave had wall mounts of nearly every weapon, and a bed. There was a waterfall that covered the entrance to the cave.

"Ya know, I was in a cave like this once. I was just shot in the eye with a revolver and on death's door."

"Before we go, I need to change your face."

"What?"

"All of Aincrad thinks you're dead. Including Alberich and anyone else he may have here. So you need a disguise." Crow snapped his fingers. "There, now you look like one of the first players to have died. No one would will recognize you. Oh, and no using the chain."

"Okay. "

Shadowbane must have gotten left behind in town, so I would have to use Talon. I shimmed around the waterfall and walked to a beaten road.

"So what do you do about the cave? What are the chances of someone finding it?"

"Very slim. I have it so that the cave is blocked by big trees. And the cave is soundproof, so no one hear me inside."

"Smart."

We continued down the beaten path. Until we reached a hill that overlooked a complex that definitely wasn't apart of the game. Using my eagle eyes, I could see poncho's, high class armor, and armor associated with mercenaries. Which means one thing: The Pact. We moved forwards till we got to the complex and two guards. I rushed the guards, grabbing them by the mouth, preventing them from calling out, and slammed their heads repeatedly against the wall until they were unconscious. Jason and I jumped to the roof. We moved across the roof, until we got to a back door where Crow and I dropped down and simultaneously blew off the heads of two guards. With all of these guards around, I assumed that they were protecting this place from Crow. I crept inside ahead of Crow to scout the area. There were five guards patrolling the halls, and I hid behind a corner while Crow did the same on the other side. I hit the wall hard enough to create a loud audible sound, and lured three guards. I grabbed two of them while Crow grabbed the third, and I slammed their heads into the wall as hard as I could, three times, while Crow just exploded his hostage. Someone heard the explosion and came running, I grabbed them, covered their mouth and stabbed them. The last guard was too far to hear anything and turned a corner, giving us a chance to move down the corridor and into Alberich's room. The room was dimly lit and these cylinders all around the room and what looked like a person, standing in the corner.

"I've a bad feeling about this." I whispered.

And in usual Ben Bellemont fashion. I was right. Behind me, I heard the hauntingly familiar sound, that was digital flesh being pierced. I turned around to see Jason with a sword hole in his chest. His sword clang and rung as it hit the floor and I caught him before he fell over.

"Remember... Ben. Clo...sure. can mend... grief."

As Crow exhaled his last breath, his eyes and mouth started glowing and light shot out, burning his eye sockets and mouth.

"Hahahaha! You're probably wondering why the light show. It's a part of a little side project I've been working on. Manipulation of memories and emotions. The eyes and mouth glowing, means and insures that he will never come back to life again."

I went to attack, but in the blink of an eye Alberich appeared in front of me and punched me hard in the solar plexus. He then grabbed my hand and crushed it, breaking every bone and on top of it all, he ripped off the finger that the Deceiver ring was on.

"We can't have you cheating, now can we?"

Alberich grabbed my chain and wrapped it around his hands and garroted me. Then he tied it around my throat and tossed me around the room, yanking the chain to pull me back to him so he could punch me in the face. After five yanks, he punched me so hard the chain around my neck broke. I tried to crawl away, but was lifted by the throat and punched repeatedly in the face and the only break I had was when he stopped to keep my hand broken.

"Ya know, I think I've come up with the perfect punishment, and death for you."

He placed his hand on my head and I cried out in pain as everything came back. My mind was clear and I remembered where I saw the dagger before. Alberich threw me across the room and a figure materialized out of no where.

"Amelia?"

She got on her knees and wrapped her hands around my throat. I let my hands go limp, not fighting back. I deserved this and was at peace with it.

"I'm... so...sorry...Amelia...Forgive me."

My health was depleting, and my vision was going black. Then something strange happened, as Amelia removed her hands from my throat.

"What are you doing, you bitch!" Alberich said zipping over and backhanding Amelia.

Health replenished, and feeling strangely stronger, I jumped to my feet, pissed as all hell and seeing red. Alberich had two grunts brought into the room, while I was being choked. I punched one of them across and ripped the other's head clean off.

"What the-"

I rushed Alberich and slammed him into the ground. He crawled backwards like a coward, and frantically spawned a Six Armed Metallic Buddha Statue from the 50th floor. I grabbed one of it's fists that it threw and ripped it off it's body, then jumped up and hit it in the head with the arm. When the arm disappeared I lifted the Buddha above my head and ripped it in half, while the sound of metal being pulled apart echoed throughout the room. I walked over a cowarding Alberich, crawling on the ground yelling for help. He tried to kick me but I grabbed his foot, twisting it 270 degrees, then brought my elbow down in the side of his knee. I lifted him up, seeing in his fear-stricken eyes, my reflection. Glowing yellow eyes. I punched him several times in the face, slammed him into the ground several times, punched him in the stomach and shoved my fingers between his ribs, cracking and breaking them.

"AAAAHHHHHH! How... is this...possible?! I... am.. a god! Me! Everyone... is inferior... to ME!"

"No. You are nothing, but a weak-willed coward who hides behind others. You took the one thing I cared about, so I will strip you of everything."

"I will destroy you! I'll kill everyone you've ever loved! You will burn in Hell!"

"Been to Hell, now I'm back."

I tightened my grip on his throat. Light burst from his eyes and mouth, and he screamed as his flesh burnt off. His eyes and hair ignited, muscle burned, his bones melted and after a few seconds, he was nothing but ash. I looked at my hands and watched the ash vanish and my finger grow back

"Ben." Said a familiar voice.

I turned around and saw Amelia just standing there, the scent of lilac and berries filled the air .

"Amelia?... How do I know you're real?"

"The last thing I said to you before the massacre was that I loved you, and couldn't stand by and watch you kill yourself."

"Amelia."

I put my hand on her cheek, my fingers going through a part of her hair, and she tilted her head slightly and placed her hand on mine. I heard a electronic shimmer, and my disguise disappeared.

"How are you still alive?"

"Alberich was running experiments on players alive and dead. That's what these things around the room are."

"Amelia, I'm so sorry. I-"

"It's ok, Ben." She said in a soft voice as she wiped away my tear. "I don't blame you for what happened and I never will. It was all Alberich."

She may not blame me, but I will always blame myself. They're all dead because of me. I will live with that guilt forever.

"But you need to let me go. Live your life, escape this game. Move on."

"I-I don't know if I can."

"I know you can. You're the strongest, and most stubborn person I know, and I will always love you."

I could hear the faint sound of footsteps coming from all doors. And from the number of footsteps, everyone in the complex was coming at me.

"I love you, Ben Bellemont."

I kissed Amelia for the last time, and she disappeared as all the goons in the complex surrounded me.

"I love you too, Pretty bird."

I wiped the tear from my eye and turned towards the henchmen, with my eyes glowing. I charged at one of them, taking his hammer and smashing his head into bloody paste. One of them got a cheap shot in, cutting across my chest. I grabbed him, punched a hole in his chest, ripped his jaw off. then dropped him, so he would be standing on his own feet, before punching his head clean off his body.

 _Forty-six dead grunts later_

I pounded the remaining goon into the ground, before lifting him up and ripping him in half with my bare and bloody hands. I picked up a mace and walked over and destroyed the experiment machines, freeing the players that were trapped. I looked over at the person in the corner I saw before. The sick bastard had an identical clone of Asuna. I didn't want to think about why he had it, so I destroyed it. I picked up Crow's sword as well as the Deceiver, then I pulled out Talon. After holding and looking at it for a few seconds, I dropped it, and walked out.


	8. Truth

I fell asleep in my chair going over an attack plan to give to the Clearers. The candle wax had melted and got all over the table. I was woken up by light footsteps

"Hey Ben, Sarah wants to- damn it Ben! You promised." She said when she saw the melted wax and the bags under my eyes.

"Amelia, calm down."

"You promised you'd stop doing this. You're going to kill yourself."

"You're overreacting, Sweetheart. So I stayed up late, I'm just trying to help people."

"But you are not the the only one capable of getting us out of the game. You are selfishly selfless, and you never think about me, Sarah, or Jax."

"What are you talking about? I always think about you guys."

"Have you stopped to consider how any of us would feel if you died? How I would feel?"

Amelia stood there, tears starting to form.

"I love you Ben. But there have been too many close calls, too many times you've nearly died. And I can't do this anymore. I can't stand here and watch you get killed."

Amelia unclasped her necklace and dropped her wedding ring on the floor, before walking away.

"Amelia... Amelia!"

I tried to go after her, but she was long gone. I picked up the jewelry off the floor and went back into my chair, and massaged my head.

"My god, Ben. What did you say to Amelia?" Jax said walking in.

"Nothing. She saw the melted wax, and freaked."

"I don't blame her. You look as if you haven't slept in years."

"I know, I know. But it's an old habit."

"And she knows that. But she feels like you aren't trying to stop. She hates that you take on everything around you."

"I know. My stupid habits has caused me to lose the one person who ever truly loved me."

"Come on. You need to relieve some stress."

Jax pulled me out of my chair and dragged me out of Sinanju.

"What do you want to do?" He asked.

"I feel like killing something."

"Ok, hunting it is. What do you want to hunt for food?"

"Anything. Deer, bear, dragon."

"Can we even eat dragon?"

"It's delicious, if cooked right."

We saw a group of deer in front of us, and hid behind some trees.

"How do you want to do this? Scare into an ambush?"

"Sure, that always fun."

I equipped my bow and climbed the tree as Jax equipped his two handed sword. After nodding to each other, I notched three arrows and fired one into a tree on both sides of the deer and one behind them. The deers looked up and ran in the opposite direction of the sounds, right into Jax. Jax activated _Whirlwind_ and slashed some of the deer.

"Nice work, Jax." I said as I hopped down.

"What's next?"

"Probably hunt for a few more minutes... Why don't we split up, meet back here in ten, fifteen minutes?"

"Sure."

We split up and I went in the direction of a cave. I saw a bear inside.

 _'Everyone in Sinanju had no problem eating whatever we bring back. But Frederick hates bear meat, so let's piss him off, shall we.'_

I equipped my sword and charged in. The bear clawed at me and I responded by vaulting over it and attacking it's back. The bear managed to scratch me across the chest, and I jumped back to evaluate the situation. The bear charged towards me and I rolled out of the way and stabbed it in the ribs. Then I activated _Vertical Square_ and killed it. After I gathered the materials, I got the feeling that something was watching me.

"Good morning, mister." Said a voice.

I turned around and saw a man with blonde hair and white and yellow armor.

"Can I help you?"

"You can actually. I'm doing an experiment, and need a test subject."

Before I could react, he appeared right in front of me and put his hand on my head. I drew my sword and he disappeared, dropping a strange dagger. I picked up the dagger and inspected it. It was a very strange dagger with a lightning bolt shape. I walked out with it and met Jax at the meeting spot.

"There you are. What's your boun-"

He was cut off by me stabbing several times with the dagger. Blood poured out of his wounds and he fell to his knees.

"Akh akh W-why?"

I placed my hand on his head and slit his throat. Light shot out of his eye and mouth as he fell over and pixelated. I made my way back to Sinanju.

There were men in the village restraining my guild members, some even killing them.

"du Casse, he's here." A voice said.

Some of my guild members were begging for their lives when I walked up to them. I killed them with the knife, the sound of a blade slowly slicing virtual flesh filled the air, and light shot out of their eyes and mouths. I stood over Sarah and Amelia, fear in their eyes as they looked up at me. I killed Sarah quickly by breaking her neck, causing Amelia to look away in horror. I grabbed Amelia by the throat and choked her, and could see and feel the life fade from her. She started squirming and kicking, trying to break free, but in doing so she was using up what little oxygen she had left and killing her faster. Tears rolled down her increasingly blue face as my knuckles turned white. When her eyes turned to the back of her head and she pixelated, I woke up. I looked around at the players in the village and the realization of what I had done hit me. I turned around and was hit in the head with a mace by this du Casse. I woke up a few hours later in an empty Sinanju. I sat up and noticed the blood on my hands and saw the bloody dagger on the ground. I grabbed the dagger and destroyed it and then made graves for everyone. I carved Jax, Sarah and Amelia's epitaphs, and knelt down in front of them.

"I'm so sorry, guys." I stood up, wiped away a tear and put Amelia's necklace around her tombstone. "But I will avenge you."

I went into all the building looking for any supplies, and found some paint. Finally went into my private quarters, where Talon, Robin's dagger, laid on the floor. She must have come in here and then dropped it when du Casse attacked. I picked it up, grabbed some of my equipment and left. I wrapped some cloth around a couple of my arrows, lit them on fire and burned the buildings before painting an omega symbol on the large rock down the road.


End file.
